5 Advantages of Living in a Flat or Apartment

8th October 2015 posted in
Home Lifestyle

5 Advantages of Living in a Flat or Apartment

An apartment is a great accommodation option, whether you have just started a graduate job, moved to a big city, or just want to downsize your property. When making the decision of whether to live in an apartment or house it’s important to take into consideration all the pros and cons.

It may be that your lifestyle and situation point clearly to the best option in terms of a house or flat – if you have children or pets, a house tends to be better, but if you are a student then a flat would be better.

Sometimes the decision isn’t that easy though, so if you are still trying to work out which option is best consider these advantages of living in an apartment:

Location

If you don’t have a car then the location of your property could be crucial. If you are starting a new job or need to be in the city centre, then an apartment is likely to suit you better than a house.

It’s much easier for an apartment complex to afford to be in a desirable city location, whereas houses are much more expensive to build for a single homeowner. Living in a flat can be very beneficial if you want to walk to work, and is great if you want to experience a city’s nightlife just a short way from your home.

Amenities

Many people would love to have a home with a swimming pool, gym, and tennis court, but the reality is most wouldn’t be able to afford it. The great thing about an apartment complex, especially a big one, is that they often come with all these things.

Owners of large apartment complexes will often reinvest some of their rent money into creating these luxury amenities, in order to retain existing clients and attract new ones.

Security

When moving into a new property it is important to feel secure. One big advantage of living in a flat or apartment is the availability of several layers of added security, especially in a gated complex.

There is a usually a code to get into the building, CCTV cameras around the entrance, and apartments off the ground floor. Most houses just have an alarm and a lock on the front door.

Commitment

If you are just starting your career or moving to a new city, you may not know exactly where you want to live. The great thing about apartments is that you can usually get relatively short-term contracts.

Many landlords offer 6 month contracts, and once they are up you can sometimes ask to keep them rolling – this gives you the freedom to move out with just one month’s notice if you want to change location.

Costs

There are usually less costs involved when living in a flat. You don’t have to worry about the structure of the building, as the owner of the complex is responsible for that, and many other repairs are usually not up to you to pay for, especially if you are renting.

The rent of an apartment is usually cheaper than the mortgage in a house too, and if the square footage is smaller you will have cheaper living costs, such as gas, water, and electricity.